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The past:
I recall a few times when my father would adjust me and it felt like he was "making" my legs go off to
the side when he would raise my legs. I never said anything about it out of respect to my dad because, he was famous
around the country as the "king of leg testing" at the Activator seminars. (The leg test is the part
of the adjustment where I see which leg might be shorter when you are lying on the table.) To this day, I hear
from chiropractors all over the world that tell me or one of my patients, that "Dr. Kinum was the man who
taught me how to do the leg tests"!
I did not feel comfortable telling my dad
how he had developed a bad habit of manipulating the leg test.
The present:
I've noticed recently, a few cases where a patient actively moved their legs off to the side when I did the leg
testing portion of the adjustment. It was like they were trying to "help" me. I asked one particular
patient what was "up"?
What they told me really helped me bring the whole picture into greater focus. This patient felt comfortable telling
me that I was "pulling their legs off to the side".
The big "Aha" moment for me, was the fact that I was NOT trying to pull their legs off to the side. In
fact, I was trying to push the patient's legs back into center. We were fighting each other and didn't admit it.
What I learned was there are times when our bodies send us false or confusing signals of what balance and
center feels like.
I have an advantage as the chiropractor of the straight lines on the table and the center space where your face
goes as reference guides to keep myself honest. The patient can "insist" and be absolutely "certain"
that they know when their legs "off to the side". As you may recall, I had this experience too with my
dad. I was just as certain and said nothing. Maybe you've done that too?
I asked one of my patients if they would allow me to take a couple of pictures with them on the table when they
had the same issue.
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| The first picture shows where the patient placed
their legs "unassisted" by me, of where they were certain the center was. |
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In the second picture, you will see where the legs
where when I assisted in moving them to center. |
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| This patient was shocked at how much of a difference
there was between the two pictures. |
I have only doubted my dad, two times in my life as it related to chiropractic. The first time goes back to the
mid 1960's when Dad and Mom's home office was next to the local MD's home office. Back then, the neighbors made
it pretty clear to me that what my dad did, was not as good as what the "Regular Doctor" did. I had a
front row seat at home of seeing with my own eyes, what my dad did as a chiropractor. I found it hard to hold that
higher than the opinions of the neighborhood. I realized this later in life but before my dad passed away. I shared
with Dad that I regretted not trusting him over the opinions of others and that I was trying to "prove"
chiropractic to myself and the world. What he said was one of the kindest most compassionate things that so easily
would come from dad..."You were a good student". I felt such a release having had the time to share that
with him before he was gone. This time, I understand how I could doubt my dad with out losing my trust in his greatness
as a chiropractor. I hope this helps us create an open invitation to share any doubts and questions with each other.
This is how we learn and grow together. Real Balance in life is important...that includes admitting when something
feels off.
Yours in health, Dr. Ed
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